1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door opening/closing apparatus for a washing machine (hereinafter referred to as a "washer"), and more particularly to a door opening/closing apparatus of a washer for automatically opening and/or closing of a door on the washer by a solenoid and a torsion spring, or alternatively could be manually performed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional washer comprises a body and an upper cover.
The body is composed of a washing tub into which laundry, washing water and the like are inserted, an agitator for agitating the laundry, washing water and the like in the washing tub, a driving unit for driving (rotating) the washing tub and the agitator according to a user's selection to thereby perform the washing operation, and an exterior case for supporting or encompassing the washing tub, agitator and the like to thereby form an exterior of the washer.
The upper cover carries switches for being disposed at an upper area of the body and operated by the user, a control unit for controlling operation of the washer according to works of the switches, a door through which the laundry can be inserted into or discharged out of the washing tub, and a hot/cold water pipe for supplying the washing water into the washing tub.
FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view for illustrating a door structure in the conventional washer described above.
According to FIG. 8, a body 100 of the washer encompasses a washing tub 110 and has an upper cover 200 disposed thereon.
The upper cover 200 has a door 10.
The door 10 is formed with a folding unit 12 for enabling the door to fold and is also formed with a handle 14 on the front thereof (at the left side on the diagram).
FIGS. 9 and 10 are schematic diagrams for illustrating operational states of the door opening/closing apparatus in the conventional washer wherein FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for illustrating a closed state of the door and FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for illustrating an open state of the door.
According to FIG. 9, a rib 40 integrally formed with the upper cover 200 carries a hinge 20 about which the door 10 is rotatable.
The rib 40 is connected to one end of a torsion spring 50, and a lever 30 integrally formed with the door 20 is connected to the other end of the torsion spring 50.
Therefore, when the door 10 of the washer is closed, a resilient force of the torsion spring 50 acts upon the lever 30 to thereby maintain the door 10 closed.
Then, when the user holds and pushes backward a handle 14 formed at the front of the door, the door 10 is folded and opened by the operation of a folding unit 12.
When the door 10 is opened, the lever 30 is rotated around the hinge 20, and the torsion spring 50 is temporarily compressed to thereby be rotated along with the lever 30.
When the lever 30 is rotated to some extent, the direction in which the resilient force of the torsion spring 50 faces becomes the same as that of the rotating lever 30.
Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the resilient force of the torsion spring 50 acts upon the lever 30, thereby maintaining an open state of the door 10.
As described above, when the handle 14 is pulled down to shut the door 10 under the state of the door 10 being completely open, the door 10 is unfolded.
The lever 30 is rotated around the hinge 20 when the door 10 is closed, and the torsion spring 50 is temporarily compressed to thereby be rotated along the lever 30.
When the lever 30 is rotated to some degree, the direction in which the resilient force of the torsion spring 50 acts becomes the same as that of the lever 30 that rotates.
Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the resilient force of the torsion spring 50 acts upon the lever 30, thereby maintaining the door closed.
As mentioned above, the door opening/closing apparatus of the conventional washer enables easy opening/closing operation of the door 10 by way of the resilient force of the torsion spring 50 and enables maintainance of the closed and open states of the door 10 as well.
The apparatus of the conventional washer however has a problem in that the door has to be closed or opened manually, thereby causing inconvenience to the user.